Oil cup



Nov. 16 1926. 1,607,523 F. J. GAFFNEY 4 Filed NOV. 26. 1924 PatentedNov. 16, 1926.

UNITED STATES rREnRrcK-J.' GArFivgaY, or New YoRK, N. Y.

oVIL CUP.

Application ined November 2s, 1924. serial Np. 752,412.

My invention relates to. oil cups for bearings generally butparticularly relates to an oil cup having special advantages as employedfor various bearings of automobiles` The general object of my inventionlis t0 provide an oil cup that may be emplaced in connection with thedifferent bearings of anl automobile and' which may be positioned` atany angle'made necessary by the arrangement of parts adjacent theparticular bearing to which the cup is applied.

A further important object of the invention is to provide for insuring apositive automatic feed over a continued period to whatever extent therequirement ofa particular bearing may make necessary.

rlhe invention also has fo1"an-fimpo1tant object to provide an oil cupequipped with an auxiliary oil holding chamber as well as anelectromagnetic means lto charge said chamber from the oil cup andmechanically operated means independent of the electromagnetic means foreffecting the automatic feed. Y

rlhe invention furthermore has in ,view to provide an oil cup havingnovel means to secure the oil cup to a bearing and in a manner to resistall loosening of the cup or its securing'means by the vibrationsincident to the operation of the automobile or other machine in whichthe cup is emplaced.V

rFhe manner `anc lmeans whereby the above and other objects are attainedas will appear will be readily understood from the specific descriptionfollowing.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a y'ficatiom it being understood that the drawings are merelyillustrativeof one example of the invention.

Figure 1 is a vertical section of an oil cup embodying my invention; y

Figure 2 isa plan view with the-body of the cup in section; K*

Figure 3 is a vertical section of the lower` portion of the oil cup andits securing boltV and feed means showing the plunger in position afterhaving drawn oil into the auX- iliary oil-holding chamber; f Figure 4 isa horizontal ksection in the plane of the plunger and auxiliaryoil-holding chamber; y

Figure 5 is adetai-l in transverse vertical section as indicated by theline 5-5, Fig-1 ure 1' Y Y Figure 6 is an enlarged detail-view of thepart of this speci-` assemblage of parts adjacent to the forward end ofthe securing bolt; i

Figure 7 is a verticaly longitudinal section of the bottom portion yofthe oil cup, similar to Figure 3, but vrillustratingthe securing bolt inreverse position from that ofV Figure 3. Y

In carrying out my invention in accordance with the illustrated example,a cup 10 is provided generallyV of the form employed on bearings ofautomobiles and in similar situations, said cup constituting a containerfor the supply of oil. bottom 1.1 of cup 10 is cast an enlargement 12and on lthe underside ofl the bottom' `integral therewith vis cast anenlargement 13 extending transversely in practice the full Integral withthe` width of said bottom 11. The enlargementV 12 bored to constitute anauxiliary oil holding chamber I4fadapted to Contain a given supplyofoilvfor automatic discharge over a continuedV period .to thebearing tobe lubricated, the bore or chamber.. 14V inthe present example being -inthe form of a cylinder.v A'plunger 15 is adapted tohave reciprocatingmovement in the oil chamber 14 and serves to draw in a supply' of oilfor a definite period from the main container chamber of cup 10 and toslowly feed the auxiliary supply thus drawn as the needs of the bearingpermit the feed. Leading into the chamber 14 isv anA oil passage 16provided with `a check valve 17 which includes a ball check 18. Y Y

An `electroniagnetic responsive device is lprovided to actuate theplunger `15 in a di-Y rection to .draw oil into vthe auxiliary oilholding chamber 14. In the: present example, the magnet 19 is employed,lthe armature 20 of which is on onearm .21 of a bell- 1 crank pivoted aslat 22 on. a bracket 23 of magnet 19'.'A The other armA 24 of thebellcrank extends downwardly to the plane of the plunger 15 and isformed.with a transverse hole through `which passes a stem 25 rigid withthe plunger 15. On stem 25 is a flange or collar, .26 against which arm24 may bear iii-response to the energizing of magnet 19 for moving theplunger 15 in a direction Vto vdraw oil into chamber 14. A spring 27ahuts at one endk against a collar 26 and at the opposite endagainst-the interior ofthe cup 10, so that said spring will.. tend toAforce the plunger 15 forwardly in chamberf14-l Thus, it will be seenthat the suction stroke of the plunger. .15 is due to nieral 23indicates a conductor cord leading outwardly from magnet 19, the Wiresof the conductor. cord contacting respectively7 with the terminals 29,30 ofthe conductors 31, 32 leading to any convenient source ofelectricity not shown).

` I employ for securing a cup 10 in position for lubricating a bearing,a transverse bolt disposed beneathA the cup body, 10 and passing throughthe enlargement 13 which has a throughbore for the purpose. The head ofthe bolt 33 in the form shown in Figures 1 to 6 comes to a bearingagainst an end iiange 34 on enlargement 13. The forward end 35 of thebolt is threaded to be tapped into the automobile part or other machinepart at the bearing to be lubricated.

By providing the transverse bolt 33 on the oil cup, security in thefastening of the oil cup is attained and in any necessary angularposition of the oil cup (other than with the oil cup inverted). In thisconnection it is to be noted that the feed of the oil by the plunger 15under the action of spring 27 insures the feeding of the oilirrespectiveof a change in the angle of the cup from a vertical position. The bolt33 in addition to con stituting the securing means for the cup isutilized also as part of the means to conduct the oil to the bearing andmoreover it is utivlized to make the electrical connections.

The terminals 30, 31 are securely clamped by the screwing of the bolt 33into place. Vvlhere required a Washer 36 maybe placed on the boltbetween the terminals 29, 30 and the surface of the part to which thebolt is secured, the use of the Washer 36 and the thickness thereofdepending on the character of the parts adjacent the bearing Where theoil cup 10 is to be emplaced. The Washer 36 being' usually of metal aninsulating Washer 37 may be employed between said Washer and theadjacent one of the brackets 29,30 and a second Washer 38 may beemployed between said terminals and the oil cup.

In the utilization of the bolt 33 for conducting the oil to the bearing,the following oil ports and passages are employed: Leading from theauxiliary oil-holding chamber 14 is an outlet orice 39. This dischargesto an annular oil Igroove 40 in bolt 33. Also extending from the annulargrooveO is a radial oil port 41 which communicates With and isadapted todischarge to an axial oil passage 42 leading to an oil chamber 43 insaid bolt,'said oil chamber having a discharge outlet 44 to deliver theoil to the bearing. Atthe inner side of the outlet 44 in oil chamber 43a Washer 45 may be provided having an outlet orifice leading t the oildischarge or outlet 44. A needle valve 47 in oil chamber 43 controls thepassage of oil to said chamber from the axial oil passage 42, said valvebeing under the Vinfluence of a compression spring 46. Y

iVith the above described construction when the (one Wire circuit)through the conductors 31, 32 is closed by any suitable means (notshown) the electromagnetic device 19 will be energized and draw' dou/'nthe arm 21 thereby causing the arm 24 to actuate the plunger 15 in adirection to dranT oil in the auxiliary oil supply chamber 14 and at thesame time compressing spring 27. Said movement of the plunger Will drawthe oil through the passage 1G into chamber Upon the brealringof thecircuitand the deenergizing .of the electromagnetic device 19, thespring 27 will cause plunger 15 to place oil in chamber 14 underpressure independently of the electromagnetic device and as fast as theoil in the bearing is used the oil will flow from passage 39, annulargrcoif'e 40, auxiliary passage 42, chamber 43 to and through thedischarge 44 to the bearing. It is to be understood that the spring 27superior to the spring 47 so that the valve 46 will open under thepressure lof the oil in the chamber 14.

In the form shown in Figure 7 the form and arrangement of the partsareas previously described except that the bolt 133 is reversed, thethreaded end 35 extending through the flanged end 34 of cup 10 and thehead of the bolt being adjacent to the terminals 29, V30. Washer36isalso adjacent the said threaded end 35 of the bolt, that is to say,adjacent the flange 34 instead of at the diametrically oppositeside ofthe cup. In the arrangement of Figure 7 the bolt'head serves to clampthe terminals 29, 30. In providing a bolt in reverse position theauxiliary passage 142 corresponding with the passage 42 is elongated toextend from the radial oil passage 41 to the end of the bolt.

I would state in conclusion that While the illust-rated exampleconstitutes a practical embodiment ofrmy invention, l do not Vlimitmyself strictly to the exact details herein illustrated, since,manifestly, the same can be considerably varied without departure fromthe spirit of the invention as deiined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: Y

1. An oil cup including a'inain container adapted to receive oil, anauxiliary oil-hold ing chamber having aninlet for oil from said maincontainer, a plunger in said Vau'X- v iliary chamber,electromagnetically controlled means adapted to move said plungerv in adirection away from said inlet to draw oil` fronisaid main containerintosaid charn-v ber, an outlet for the discharge of oil and leading-fromsaidY chamber, andmeans-'to operate said plunger ina direction toforcibly discharge voil fromsaid-chamber to said outlet. i y

Q. v'An oil cupJ including av main container adapted to re-ceive oil, anauxiliary oilholding chamber having an inlet for oil from said maincontainer, a yplunger in said' auxiliary chamber, electromagneticallycontrolled means adapted to move said plunger in a direction away fromsaid inlet to draw oil from said main container into said container, an`outlet for the discharge of oil and leading from said chamber, andmeans to operate said plunger in a direction t0 forcibly discharge oilfrom said chamber to said outlet; together with a check valve in saidinlet and arranged to open inwardly for the entrance of oil to saidchamber as said plunger moves away from said inlet, and an outwardlyopening check valve in said outlet adapted to close said outlet when oilis fiowinginto said chamber' through said inlet.

An oil cup including a main container,`

an auxiliary oil-holding chamber disposed transversely in the said maincontainer at the bottom thereof, an inlet leading to said chamber' fromsaid main reservoir near an end thereof, a plunger in said auxiliarychamber, electromagnetically controlled means for moving said plunger ina direction away from said inlet to positively draw oil into saidchamber, means to force said plunger in the reverse direction from themovement by said electromagnetic means and adapted to function when saidelectr-omagnetic means is out of action, and an outlet for the dischargeof oil from said auxiliary chamber upon said reverse movement of saidplunger.

a. An oil cup including a main container,

van auxiliary oil-holding chamber, a plunger operating in said chamber,electromagnetically controlled means to actuate said plunger in adirection to positively draw oil into said chamber from said container,and va spring tending to operate said plunger in a direction opposite tothe movement of the plunger in drawing in oil to force oil `from saidchamber, said plunger in its said opposite movement being free of saidplunger-v actuating means.

5. An oil cup including a main container,r

an auxiliary oil-holding chamber, a plunger operating in said chamber,electromagnetically controlled means toactuate said plunger in adirection to positively draw oil into said chamber from said container,and a spring tending to operate said plungery in a direction opposite tothe movement of said plunger in drawing in oil to force oil from saidchamber, said plunger in its said opposite movement being free of saidplunger-actuating means; together with an element to place saidfsliiringunder pressure, said elcment subject to the-{operationof saidplunger-actuated means. f l i (3. An Voil cup including an oilcontainer,

and a'. transverse bolt on said container adapted to .beta'pped into apart at a bearing tobe' lubricatediand-adapted to exert `pressureon'said oil cup for securelyfholding the oil cup in' 'position againstturning of the oil cup about the axis of the bolt.

7. An oil cup including an oil container, and a transverse bolton saidcontainer adapted to betapped into a part at a bearing to be. lubricatedand adapted to exert pressure on saidL oil cup for securely holding theoil cup in position against turning of the oil cup about the axis of thebolt; together with means to cause oil to pass from the containerthrough said bolt to the bearing.

8. An oil cup including a container, an oil discharge from said oil cup,means to establish communication between said container andvsaiddischarge, a transverse bolt on said cup adapted to secure the same to abearing and adapted to exert pressure on said oil cup, said bolt havingpassages forming part of the means to establish communication betweenthe container and the oil discharge.

9. An oil cup including a container, an auxiliary chamber in saidcontainer, a plunger in said auxiliary chamber,an electromagneticresponsive device adapted to move said plunger in a direction to drawoil into said auxiliary chamber, means to actuate said plunger in adirection to force oil from said auxiliary chamber, ,a securing boltdisposed transversely on said container and adapted toy secure the samein position against turning about the axis of the bolt, and means tocoact with said bolt for clamping a conductor terminal; together withmeans to establish connection between the electromagnetic responsivedevice and the clamped terminals. f

10. An oil cup having a discharge, means to feed oil from theoil cup tosaid discharge, said means `including an electromagnetic responsivedevice, and a transverse bolt to secure said cup in position at abearing, said bolt adapted to serve for causing the con ductor terminalsto be clamped in position with the securing of the oil cup.

11. The combination with an oil cup, of a transverse bolt thereonconstituting means to secure the cup in position, said bolt adapted tobe tapped into a part at a bearing to be lubricated and adapted to pressthe oil cup toward the bearing, and means adapted to be frictionallyengaged with said part at the bearing when the bolt is tightened againstthe oil cup to thereby hold the bolt and hold the' cup at any givenangle rand ill prevent loosening of said bolt; together vwith means todirect oil from said oil cup through said bolt for lubricating in anypredetermined angular position of the cup.

12; An' oil cup including a container, an auxiliary chamber in saidcontainer, a plunger in said auxiliary chamber, electromagnetic meansadapted to move said plunger in a direction to draw oil into said aux-10 iliary chamber, means to actuate said plunger in a direction to forceoil from said auxiliary chamber, and a securing bolt disposedtransversely on said container and` adapted to secure the same inposition against turning about the axis of the bolt; together With meansto direct oil from said auxiliary chamber through said securing bolt forlubricating.

FREDRICK J. GAFFNEY.

